Crow's feathers - Naruto fanfiction

Chapter 28 Betrayal

Night had fallen over the desert. It had been a long day and Taryn groaned as she worked her muscles. Kakashi and the others should be back in Konoha by now. It had been four days. Should she had said more to him?
She was about to pull her top over her head when she felt a slight movement behind her. She turned and threw a handful of shuriken at the intruder. He blocked them and they fell to the floor. “You!” Taryn hissed, “get out of here!”
Itachi slowly approached her. His voice was calm when he spoke. “Go on. Call out. Someone will hear you. Let them arrest me.”
Taryn glared at him, but kept silent. Itachi stopped when he was right in front of her. “How could you?” Taryn asked, “he’s my brother! You know what he means to me. How could you do that?! How could you just kill him like that?!”
“It was not about your brother,” Itachi answered calmly, “we needed the one tailed beast that resided in him.”
“And that makes it okay?!” Taryn growled, “I hate you! How could you just sit there and watch him die and do nothing?!”
“I had no choice.”
“Don’t lie to me!”
Itachi sighed. “Even if I had refused to help them, they would still have extracted the Ichibi. Only it would have taken longer. Plus, they would have killed me for betraying them.”
“Why are you with Akatsuki anyway?”
“Because their goal is good. They want to bring peace to the world and destroy the world of ninja.”
“And that is a good thing?” Taryn gasped.
Itachi looked at her calmly. “As long as the ninja world exists, there will always be hate and violence. We are trying to put an end to that.”
“By killing innocent people?”
“We need the tailed beasts.”
“My brother!” Taryn snarled.
Itachi averted is eyes. “I did not know.”
“That doesn’t matter!” Taryn said, “none of the Jinchuuriki chose their fate.”
“Sacrifices must be made,” Itachi said toneless, “besides, your bother is still alive, isn’t he?” “Only because Chiyo-sama sacrificed herself. You could not have known that beforehand.” “Fact remains that he lives. And without the tailed beast.”
Taryn narrowed her eyes. “You expect me to thank you now?! What happened to you, Itachi?” “Nothing happened,” Itachi told her, “I’m still the same.”
Taryn shook her head. “That is not true.”
“Yes, it is. Maybe only now you see me for who I truly am. I’m sorry if you don’t like that.” “Will you listen to yourself?” Taryn said, “that is not you talking.”
“You’re a foolish girl, Taryn,” Itachi scampered, “you could have saved yourself all of this if you hadn’t disobeyed that order years ago.”
Taryn’s hand trembled as she hit him. Then she shook her head in disbelieve “You don’t mean that.”
Itachi’s eyes flickered with sadness. “It is better if you hate me, Taryn.”
“What are you talking about? What’s going on?”
Itachi sighed. “Goodbye,” he said.
Taryn stared at him as he turned away. “Wait,” she breathed, “why did you come here?”
“I… don’t know,” he said without looking at her.
“I don’t believe that,” Taryn whispered.
“Believe what you want,” he said coldly, “I care not.” He turned away again.
“Little brothers are sacred,” Taryn said softly. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. Itachi stiffened for a moment, but kept silent. She had remembered that?
Taryn sighed. Thinking he had already left, she whispered to herself. “When did the world become so wrong?”
Itachi heard her quiet words and turned to her sadly. He noticed a tear falling from her eye. Silently he walked up to her and stopped in front of her, carefully wiping her tear away. It startled her and her eyes snapped open.
“I don’t know,” Itachi softly said, “I suppose when people first learned to hate.”
Taryn looked at him through her tears.
“I’m sorry,” Itachi whispered.
Then she saw it. A small hint of the boy she had known in Konoha, so many years ago. She couldn’t help herself then.
She locked her arms around his neck and kissed him.

***

 “This doesn’t mean I forgive you,” Taryn said softly. Despite of that, she pulled herself closer to him, inhaling his scent.
“I know,” Itachi said, “It’s alright.” His arm was secured around her bare back and he was drawing invisible patterns on her skin.
Taryn sighed.
“I have to go,” Itachi said, “it’s almost dawn.”
Taryn made a protesting sound. “Stay a while longer.”
Itachi’s hand paused. “I though you said you haven’t forgiven me.”
“I haven’t,” Taryn answered.
“So you want them to find me here,” Itachi stated.
“No,” Taryn muttered. She sighed. “Take me with you.”
“You know I can’t,” Itachi said, “you know they won’t have you back. Not with that curse mark still on you and not now.”
“Then leave Akatsuki,” Taryn told him.
“I can’t.”
“Why not? What is it you won’t tell me?”
Itachi looked at her sadly and kissed her forehead.
“Why don’t you trust me?” Taryn asked softly.
“I do trust you.”
“Not enough. If you did, you would tell me.”
Itachi sighed. “I will tell you. One day I’ll tell you.” His voice sounded tired and old.
Taryn rolled on her back and looked at him as he hovered over her. “Promise?” she asked.
He nodded.
Taryn softly ran a finger underneath his eye. “You shouldn’t use those eyes so much,” she said softly.
Itachi leaned in and kissed her. Then he climbed out of bed and put on his clothes.
Taryn watched him for a moment, but then got dressed too. “Wait,” she said.
There was a slight smile around his lips. “If I wait any longer, I’m afraid your brother will break down your door.” He kissed her forehead and vanished through the window.
Taryn stared after him and then looked at her door confused. Sand was visible underneath it. Taryn walked to the door and opened it.
Gaara was standing in the hallway with an angry expression on his face. Taryn said nothing. She felt guilty enough as it was. “Foolish woman,” Gaara bit at her, “you’re lucky it was me passing your door. Do you want to be banished again? Do you want to be branded a traitor for real this time?”
“How long have you been standing here?” Taryn asked carefully.
“Long enough,” Gaara hissed.
Taryn closed her eyes, afraid to meet her brother’s gaze.
“I know you love him,” she heard him say to her surprise. He walked up to her. “A ten minute head start should be enough for him.”
Taryn looked at him confused.
Her brother’s eyes were still angry. “Next time I will not be so considerate. I will see you in my office.”